Breighton Aerodrome

Breighton Airfield
(RAF Breighton)
Breighton Airfield; (RAF Breighton)
	Breighton Airfield and Aeroplane Museum
	IATA: none; ICAO: none;
Summary
Owner	Air Ministry 1940–1964; Private 1964 – present
Operator	Royal Air Force 1940–1964; Private 1964 – present
Location	Breighton, East Riding of Yorkshire
Built	1940
In use	1942–1964
Elevation AMSL	20 ft / 6 m
Coordinates	53°48′07″N 000°54′49″W / 53.80194°N 0.91361°W
Map
	EGBR Location in East Riding of Yorkshire
Runways

Breighton Aerodrome is a private aerodrome primarily used for general aviation flying located on the former Royal Air Force Breighton or more simply RAF Breighton, a former Royal Air Force station located near to the village of Breighton, East Riding of Yorkshire, England.

History

The airfield was built between 1940 and 1942 for No. 1 Group RAF,^[1] its first residents were the No. 460 Squadron RAAF.^[2]

From 1959 to 1963, as part of Project Emily, the base was a launch site for three nuclear-armed PGM-17 Thor intermediate-range ballistic missiles, operated by No. 240 Squadron RAF.^[3]

The base closed in March 1964, when the last active unit (which operated the Bristol Bloodhound air-defence missile) withdrew.^[4]

Squadrons

Squadron	Equipment	From	To	To	Notes
No. 78 Squadron RAF	Handley Page Halifax II/III/VI Douglas Dakota	16 June 1943	20 September 1945	RAF Almaza	^[5]
No. 112 Squadron RAF	Bristol Bloodhound I	7 November 1960	31 March 1964	Disbanded	^[6]
No. 240 Squadron RAF	PGM-17 Thor	1 August 1959	8 January 1963	Disbanded	^[3]
No. 460 Squadron RAAF	Vickers Wellington IV Handley Page Halifax II Avro Lancaster I/III	4 January 1942	14 May 1943	RAF Binbrook	^[2]

Units

No. 20 Blind Approach Training Flight RAF (October 1941) became No. 1520 (Beam Approach Training) Flight RAF (October 1941 - June 1944)^[7]
Sub site for No. 35 Maintenance Unit RAF (November 1945 - June 1951)^[8]
Relief Landing Ground for No. 103 Flying Refresher School RAF (June - November 1951)^[9]
Relief Landing Ground for No. 207 Advanced Flying School RAF (November 1951 - June 1954)^[10]
No. 460 Conversion Flight RAF (May - August 1942 & September - October 1942)^[11] became 'A' Flight of No. 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit RAF (October - November 1942)^[12]
No. 2716 Squadron RAF Regiment^[13]
No. 2797 Squadron RAF Regiment^[13]

Current use

The original runways are covered in buildings but the outline of the runways, taxiways and dispersal stands are clearly visible using satellite imagery.^[4]

A part of the airfield is currently used by the Real Aeroplane Company to house and maintain private and historic aircraft and a home for the Breighton Flying Club which uses a separate grass runway located within the original airfield grounds.^[1]

Five people were injured in a helicopter crash at the airfield on 17 July 2016.^[14]

References

Citations

^ ^a ^b "Airfield history". The Real Aeroplane Company. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
^ ^a ^b Jefford 1988, p. 93.
^ ^a ^b Jefford 1988, p. 76
^ ^a ^b Delve 2006, p. 50.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 48.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 56.
^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 138.
^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 206.
^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 151.
^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 40.
^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 97.
^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 100.
^ ^a ^b "Breighton - Units". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
^ "Five casualties after helicopter crash". BBC News. Retrieved 17 July 2016.

Bibliography

Delve, Ken. The Military Airfields of Britain; Northern England. Marlborough, Wiltshire, UK: Crowood Press, 1988. ISBN 1-86126-809-2.
Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
Sturtivant, R; Hamlin, J; Halley, J (1997). Royal Air Force flying training and support units. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 0-85130-252-1.

External links

Real Aeroplane Company

[RA-1] "Airfield history". The Real Aeroplane Company. Retrieved 27 September 2012.

[Jefford1988p93-2] Jefford 1988, p. 93.

[Jefford1988p76-3] Jefford 1988, p. 76

[FOOTNOTEDelve200650-4] Delve 2006, p. 50.

[Jefford1988p48-5] Jefford 1988, p. 48.

[Jefford1988p56-6] Jefford 1988, p. 56.

[FOOTNOTESturtivantHamlinHalley1997138-7] Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 138.

[FOOTNOTESturtivantHamlinHalley1997206-8] Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 206.

[FOOTNOTESturtivantHamlinHalley1997151-9] Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 151.

[FOOTNOTESturtivantHamlinHalley199740-10] Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 40.

[FOOTNOTESturtivantHamlinHalley199797-11] Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 97.

[FOOTNOTESturtivantHamlinHalley1997100-12] Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 100.

[ABCT-13] "Breighton - Units". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 4 June 2016.

[14] "Five casualties after helicopter crash". BBC News. Retrieved 17 July 2016.

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